| How to Grow Orchids Outside Posted: 21 Jun 2018 01:00 AM PDT If you want to grow orchids outside, there are some fairly simple steps you'll need to take. You'll have to find out which orchids will grow in your region and climate. You'll also need to regulate shade and water to help the orchid grow. While the most common method is to grow orchids in pots, you can also grow them in the ground, in raised beds, or even on trees. EditSelecting Orchids - Choose a variety of orchid that thrives in your climate. Find a variety of orchid which can grow outdoors in your area. Call your local garden stores or search "orchids native to (your area)" in a search engine.
- In areas where summer nights get cooler than , consider growing cymbidiums.[1]
- If summer nights stay consistently above , try growing vandas or cattleyas.
- Buy an orchid from a plant store instead of planting orchid seeds. Plant stores (and many grocery and general stores) sell orchids year-round. Go to your favorite plant store and ask if they have the orchids that grow naturally in your area. Buy orchid plants as opposed to buying orchid seeds, as orchid seeds require sterile conditions and will take 2-5 years to bloom.[2]
- If they don't have the specific orchid you're looking for, ask them which orchids grow well in your area. They'll be able to point you toward an orchid that will thrive outside.
- Alternatively, you can buy orchids online.
- Wait until after the last frost to put your orchids outside. Orchids are tropical plants and don't do well in cold temperatures. Make sure that the average temperature is above before putting your orchids outside.[3]
- If you need to bring your orchids inside, place them in a north, south, or east facing window.
EditPlanting Orchids Outside - Expose potted orchids to sunlight gradually. Potted orchids should be allowed to acclimate to the sun. Start with 1-2 hours of morning and evening sun a day. Then, after a week, move your orchid into an area with 3-4 hours of morning and evening sun. After 1-2 more weeks, move the orchid into an area where it receives sun before 10 am and after 2 pm. After that point, you can plant the orchid outdoors.[4]
- Orchids don't like full intense sun, so find a spot outside that gets shade from around 10-2; you want to make sure your orchid is getting only morning and evening sun, when it's cooler.[5]
- Pot your orchids for convenience and mobility. Potting your orchid will allow you to move it to any location you like. Choose a pot with a drainage hole at the bottom, as the orchid's roots may rot if there's too much water in the pot. Gently remove the orchid from the pot it came in and place it into a pot that is the same size or slightly larger. The orchid should be secure enough in the pot that it doesn't wiggle. If necessary, fill in the extra space with a mixture of 2 parts fir bark or orchid bark mix to 1 part peat moss. [6]
- Do not place the pot in a secondary pot.
- Be sure to always clean out your pot thoroughly before planting the orchid.
- Grow terrestrial orchids for a beautiful addition to your garden. Replace the soil where you want to plant with a mixture of equal parts sand, sphagnum moss (sometimes called "orchid moss"), and gravel. Make sure your orchid has at least of the gravel mixture under it and around it. Dig a hole large enough for the orchid, plant it, then fill the empty space with the gravel mixture.[7]
- Terrestrial orchids of the Pleione, Sobralia, Calanthe, Phaius and Bletia genuses can be grown in a well-drained area with a lot of shade.
- Alternatively, you can make a raised bed to plant your orchids into.
- Try hanging your orchids on trees for a unique yard accent. Gently tie stem of the orchid to the tree with a cotton string (or any biodegradable string). Within 1 year, the string will deteriorate and the orchid will cling to the tree with its roots. This method is best if you live in an area with warm temperatures and frequent rainfall.[8]
- Use trees that admit some light down to the trunk, such as oaks, citrus, bottlebrush, and palms.
- In areas that get 6-8 hours of full sun a day, try growing a vanda orchid.
- In areas that don't get much full sun, grow oncidiums, phalaenopsis, and cattleyas.
EditMaintaining Outdoor Orchids - Water your orchid's roots in the morning every few days. Water the orchid at the root early in the day, avoiding the leaves. Place it under a kitchen sink and run the tap for 15 seconds, then place it somewhere it can drain and dry. Watering in the morning will ensure that your orchid will have more sunlight to help it grow. If you wait until night to water it, it will be moist all night, which can lead to mildewing.[9]
- Avoid over-watering by checking the soil's moisture with your finger. If the soil feels wet, wait 1 more day to water the orchid.
- Spray orchids with homemade pesticide every 3 weeks. Spray your orchid's leaves with a mixture of water, 2-3 drops of neem oil, and a drop of liquid dish detergent every 3 weeks to keep insects away.[10]
- Apply only enough of the mixture to cover the plant; the rest can be used on other garden plants if you'd like. Remake this mixture every time you spray for bugs, as opposed to keeping it; the ingredients will break down soon after mixing with water.
- Keep your potted orchids off the ground, so pests can't easily crawl into them.
- Remove weeds as soon as you notice them sprouting. Keep some large tweezers near your orchids so you can pull weeds out as soon as you see them. Weeds are any small plant, usually green, growing unwanted in the same area as your orchid.[11]
- Removing the bulb or root below the weed will give you the best chance at permanently wiping out the weed. Dig under where you found the green growth until the entire root or bulb comes out.
- Treat black rot or brown spot by cutting off the infected area. If your orchid develops brown, black, or translucent patches upon its skin, sterilize a pair of scissors or a knife by soaking them in rubbing alcohol for 15 minutes, then cutting off the infected area. Spray a solution of 1 part bleach to 10 parts water on the cut area and throw the infected cutting away.[12]
- Cut the infected area away until there is only health tissue on the plant. Diseases can easily spread if they're left on the orchid.
- These diseases are spread by water. Prevent them by making sure your orchid is draining properly in loose soil, and consider moving the orchid to an area with more air circulation.
- Make sure that you sanitize your cutting tools after removing the infected plant material to avoid contaminating other plants.
- If an orchid doesn't grow naturally in your region, alter the environment of the orchid by regulating water and moving the orchid around to change light as necessary.
- If you live in hot and humid weather, like Florida and Southeast Asia, grow Vanda and Epidendrum orchids outside. For mild weather in the daytime and cool temperatures at night, such as in Southern California or coastal New Zealand and Australia, plant Cymbidium in your garden.
- Butterflies or bees could pollinate orchids placed outside. Pollination may cause the orchid to go to seed and stop flowering.
- Check your orchids, including the root balls, for pests before taking the orchids back inside.
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| How to Tell if You Genuinely Like Someone Posted: 20 Jun 2018 05:00 PM PDT Sometimes, it can be difficult to tell the difference between liking someone and liking the idea of being with them. Figuring out how you feel about someone requires honesty with yourself, but it's the first step on the path to finding a great partner! EditRecognizing Signs of a Crush - Determine if you leave a date with them feeling happy. One of the best ways to figure out if you like someone is to spend time with them alone. If the conversation flows naturally, they make you laugh, and you leave the date feeling satisfied and happy, it's a pretty clear sign that you like them.[1]
- If you don't feel comfortable with them or they seem distant during your date, it might be a sign that there isn't a connection between the two of you.
- Don't feel bad if you want to end things after a bad date. In the long run, you're saving time and effort for the both of you.
- Figure out if you feel excited when they call or text you. If you jump on your phone when they text you and never let their calls go to voicemail, it's a good sign that you're really into them. No matter how busy your day is, you should want to send them a message just to let them know you're thinking of them![2]
- If they text you and you often don't have any desire to respond or have nothing to say, you might just see them as a friend.
- Recognize when you see things that remind you of them. If you constantly see things that make you think of them, it's a good sign that you actually like them. Pay attention to how many times throughout the day you tell them about something you think they'd like, and how many times you tell your friends and family a funny story or fact about them.[3]
- If you don't really think of them throughout the day, you might just be spending time with them when you're feeling lonely.
- Spend time with other people to see if you miss them. Going out with your friends or bonding with your family will surround you with people who you like and have a good time with. If you find yourself wishing that they were there, or wanting to text them to give them an update on the day, it's a good sign that you actually like them.[4]
- If you don't really think about them when you're with other people, ask yourself why. You might've just been too busy to think about them, or you might just be interested in them because you don't want to be alone. Try to be honest with yourself about your feelings.
- Notice if you contact them first when you get good or bad news. Having someone who will celebrate the good things and help you figure out the bad things is an important part of a relationship. If something major happens in your life, pay attention to who you call or text first. If it's them, you probably trust and respect them a lot.[5]
- It's okay to make exceptions for people like your parents or best friend, who you might reach out to first. However, they should probably be one of the first people who you contact when something happens in your life.
EditTesting Your Compatibility - Figure out if your values, interests, and desires align. Many people have "deal breakers," which are signs that they absolutely cannot date someone, like different views on marriage, personal interests, and much more. Asking your date about their morals, hobbies, and future plans will likely reveal if you're a compatible match, and bring up any potential problems.[6]
- For example, you might ask them, "What do you value most in friendship?" or, "What's something that's too serious to be joked about?"
- If you're comfortable being more forward, you can ask, "What do you look for in a relationship?" or, "What's your idea of the perfect partner?"
- Remember that little things can be important. You can ask them "What do you like to do on the weekends?" or, "Would you rather go camping in the mountains or take a trip to the beach?" to see if your general interests align.
- Touch their arm or hand to gauge your physical attraction. It's difficult to be in a relationship with someone if you aren't physically attracted to someone. Touching them gently on the arm or hand will let you know if they're comfortable around you, and will show you how it feels to be close to them. If you don't have any urge to touch them at all, you might be better suited as friends.[7]
- If you touch them and they seem uncomfortable, it's a good sign that they aren't ready for a relationship.
- Listen to your gut feelings and intuition when it comes to physical attraction. If you don't have the urge to touch them or be close to them, it's a good sign that you don't really like them.
- Think about whether you are attracted to their personality and value their opinion. There are many physically attractive people in the world, but it's unique to find someone whose opinion is important to you, beyond physical compatibility. If their kindness or intelligence is the first thing that comes to mind when you think about them, that's a great sign that you like them for who they are.[8]
- It's okay to find someone physically attractive as long as you're also interested in their personality and mind. If the only thing you can think about is their body, you might just be having feelings of lust, which will fade after a while.
EditExamining Deeper Feelings - Discuss your feelings with someone who you trust. Set aside time with a close and trustworthy friend or family member to talk about what's going on. Sometimes, an outsider is able to give you more clarity on the situation because they aren't involved. Tell them all about how you feel when you're around the other person, and ask what they think.[9]
- It's best to pick a friend who doesn't know the other person, to avoid any drama or secret-keeping that might arise.
- Try to avoid getting upset with your friend if they tell you something unpleasant that you might not want to hear.
- Ask yourself if you're afraid of being alone. Many people have a hard time coming to terms with the idea of being alone, even for short periods of time. If you don't like spending time alone and are looking for someone to provide company, your feelings might not be genuine. If you've just moved to a new city and have no friends, you're probably just looking for companionship.[10]
- If you want to combat this, you can learn how to enjoy being alone. Sometimes, this is the best way to figure out if you like someone because it gives you an idea of how you feel without them there.
- Learn how to tell when you're feeling jealous. In many cases, jealousy is a surefire indicator of whether or not you're interested in someone. Experiencing jealousy can be uncomfortable and upsetting. If you get sad or angry when they hang out with someone else who they might be interested in romantically, it might be a good sign that you really like them.[11]
- While jealousy can sometimes be healthy, it can quickly become a way to control your partner. Try not to get too upset about the person you like being around other people because they're probably thinking of you!
- If you have had problems with jealousy in the past or you feel like your anger is out of control, consider learning how to control your jealousy before getting into a relationship.
- Always be yourself and be honest with the person you like. You want to make sure that they know the real you, not a show that you put on.
- Try to keep things casual at the start of a relationship to make sure no one gets hurt. Take your time getting to know them until you jump into a commitment.
- Don't end a friendship with someone if you decide you don't want to date them. Give them some space, but let them know that you still want to be friends.
- If you're questioning your feelings about them, try to be respectful of their feelings and don't lead them on by promising a relationship.
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| How to Grow Cucumbers in Pots Posted: 20 Jun 2018 09:00 AM PDT Cucumbers can be tricky to grow in pots since they require a lot of vertical space. It can be done, however, if you select a bush variety instead of a climbing variety or you provide room for the cucumber to spread out by adding a stake or trellis. Use well-draining, nutritional soil and keep it moist throughout the growing season to help your potted cucumber plant grow. EditGetting the Pot Ready - Choose a bush variety of cucumber for containers. In general, bush varieties are easier to grow in pots than vine varieties, which need a trellis to climb and spread out on. Picking a variety suited to a container will give you a higher chance of success.[1]
- Varieties that are well-suited for container growing include the Salad Bush Hybrid, Bush Champion, Spacemaster, Hybrid Bush Crop, Baby Bush, Bush Pickle, and Potluck.
- Select a pot that is wide for your cucumbers. Your pot should be at least this wide in diameter, as well as that deep, too. If you want to grow more than 1 plant in a single pot, try a container that is at least in diameter and holds .[2]
- When using a container outdoors, go for a larger container if you can. It will retain moisture more effectively.[3]
- You can even use a rectangular planter box if you add a trellis for the cucumbers to grow on.
- Add holes if your container doesn't have them. While cucumbers love water, standing water can cause root damage. Look for a pot that already has drainage holes, if possible. Just flip it over to see if it has holes in the bottom.[4]
- If your pot doesn't have drainage holes, use a drill to make holes. Choose a masonry drill bit for soft, unfinished terra cotta or a tile and glass drill bit for glazed surfaces. Pick a bit.
- Place painter's tape over the bottom of the pot where you want to drill holes. Painter's tape helps steady the bit. Press the bit lightly into the tape, and turn the drill on at a slow speed. Slowly and steadily apply light pressure to the taped area until the drill goes through the pot. Repeat for at least 1 other hole.
- If you press too hard or try to drill too fast, you may break the pot.[5]
- Clean your pot thoroughly with hot water and soap. Pots can contain bacteria that may cause your plant to rot. If you've used the pot for another plant, it may have hidden insect eggs that will hatch and attack your cucumbers.
- Scrub it down thoroughly with a rag or dish brush and soapy water. Rinse it out several times to make sure you get all the soap out.
- Prepare a stake. Vine cucumbers require a trellis or stake to grow. Even though bush cucumbers do not require staking, they do benefit from it. To make one yourself, start with 3 long stakes or bamboo poles. Gather them together at the top, and tie them together with a cord or even yarn. Spread the bottoms of the stakes out to create the teepee shape.
- Consider a teepee-style metal staking system, available at most hardware and garden supply stores.
- A staking system encourages the cucumber to climb along it from the start.
- Place the stake in the pot with the stakes spread out on the inside. The legs of the stake should touch the bottom of the pot. The stake itself should stand straight without needing additional support. If it's wobbly, adjust the legs so that they're even.
- Fill the pot with a well-draining soil mix. If you want to mix your own soil, try mixing 1 part sand with 1 part compost and 1 part peat moss or coco coir. Otherwise, you can choose a pre-mixed potting soil designed for growing vegetables.[6]
- Pack the mix into the pot, carefully patting it in around the stake. Do not make it too compact, however, since your cucumber plant's roots need loose soil to grow in. Leave approximately 1 inch (2.5 centimeters) of empty space between the surface of the soil and the rim of the pot.
- Check the stake. Try to wiggle it around in the pot. If it still moves around a lot, pack more potting mix in the pot to stabilize the stake.
- Find potting soil mixes and the ingredients for potting soil at your local garden store.
- Do not use garden soil, which may be contaminated by bacteria and pests.
- Boost nutrition by mixing a good fertilizer into the soil. Use either a 5-10-5 fertilizer or a 14-14-14 slow release formula. Mix it into the soil in the proportions suggested on the label directions, as fertilizers vary widely by brand and type.[7]
- Alternatively, use a potting soil that already has fertilizer mixed in.
- The numbers on a bag of fertilizer indicate how much nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium the fertilizer contains, respectively. Each element nourishes a different part of the plant.
- A 5-10-5 fertilizer gives your cucumbers a mild dose that focuses on improved vegetable yield. A 14-14-14 fertilizer, on the other hand, keeps the health of your plant balanced, making it safer to give your cucumbers the slightly higher concentration.
- Choose an organic fertilizer for an environmentally safe alternative.
EditPlanting Seeds and Seedlings - Sow your seeds once the weather warms up to . Cucumbers need the soil to reach at least in order to grow. In many areas, you can start a crop in July and expect a harvest in September. If you live in a warmer area, you may be able to start earlier. Wait until at least 2 weeks after the last frost.[8]
- If you're planting inside, you can begin the seeds whenever you want.
- Poke a hole into the center of the soil. Make the hole about equal in depth and width. You can create it by using your pinky finger or the rounded end of a pencil.[9]
- If you have a larger planter, place the holes evenly around the edge of a circular planter or evenly across a rectangular planter, depending on the size and shape.
- Plant 5-8 seeds in the hole about deep. Plant more seeds than necessary so that you guarantee success. Planting this many seeds may mean you need to thin once the plants come up, but you're more likely to end up with as many plants as you want.[10]
- Cucumber seedlings don't like being taken out of a container or handled. Choosing seedlings with organic containers, such as coco coir or peat, allows you to plant them in the soil, container and all, without handling the seedlings too much. The roots will grow through the organic container.
- Cover the hole with more of your soil mix. Loosely drop soil over the seeds. Do not squish the soil into the hole, since doing so may damage the seeds. You can gently pat it down when you're done.
- If you're using a seedling, fill in the hole around the container, and pat it down from the top.
- Use an old water bottle as plastic collar. If it's still cool outside, you can protect your plants by creating collars for each one. Cut the tops and bottoms off of large plastic bottles. Wash them thoroughly with hot soap and water. Place one around each sprouting plant. Press it into the ground so it doesn't blow away.[11]
- These collars provide warmth and wind protection. They may also protect against some pests.
- Water the seeds or seedlings directly after planting them. The soil should be thoroughly and noticeably moist after you water the seeds or seedlings. Do not supersaturate the soil, however, since puddles of water may end up scattering the seeds.
- Use a fine sprayer so you don't stir up the seeds.
- Spread peat moss or straw over the soil after watering. Lightly apply a thin layer of peat moss or mulch over the seeds or seedlings and soil. The mulch helps prevent the soil from drying out too quickly so the seeds and seedlings have a chance to grow.
- Place your pot in a bright location with at least 8 hours of sunlight. Cucumbers thrive in warm conditions, and the extra sunlight will keep the soil nice and warm. More than 6 hours of sunlight is even better.[12]
- If you are growing cucumbers indoors, make sure they are in a sunny room where they get plenty of light. If you don't have a sunny corner, you can buy a grow light instead. Place it above the plant, and keep it on at least 6 hours a day.
- Placing your pot near the side of your house or by a fence can minimize potential wind damage. A little wind is fine, but strong wind can be damaging.
EditCaring for Your Cucumbers - Thin your cucumbers out once the seedlings sprout 2 sets of true leaves. Identify the 2 tallest seedlings from each grouping to keep. Snip the other seedlings down to the surface of the soil. Do not yank the other seedlings out, since doing so will disturb the soil and may cause damage to the seedlings you're leaving in the ground.[13]
- Use garden shears or scissors to snip the extra seedlings off at the soil.
- Thin to 1 plant per hole once the plants reach . Examine the plants in each group, and look for the tallest one. It should also have the most leaves and look the healthiest. Snip the other one down to the soil.
- Now you should have 1 plant growing in each grouping you've made in the pot. In some cases, that may mean you have just a single plant, if you used a small container.
- Water your cucumbers daily. If the surface of the soil seems dry, it's time for re-watering. Give mature plants enough water so that a little extra drains out from the drainage holes at the bottom of the pot. Never allow the soil to dry out, since dry soil will inhibit growth and lead to a bitter crop.[14]
- To check the soil, stick your finger in it. If it's dry, it's time to water.
- Lift the pot up to see how heavy it is. The heavier the pot, the more saturated the soil is with water. Check the pot throughout the day to get a feeling for how heavy or light the pot gets when you water.
- Adding mulch around your plant will help it retain more water.
- If your area is especially dry or hot, you may need to water twice a day.[15]
- Add a balanced fertilizer once a week. Drench the soil first before adding the fertilizer. Adding the fertilizer when the plants are dry may create problems. Use a water-soluble fertilizer, and apply as much as the label directs you to use. Fertilizers vary widely by brand and type, so always read the label.[16]
- Pick a 5-10-5 or 14-14-14 fertilizer.
- Eliminate garden pests with neem oil or other organic pesticides. Aphids, pickle worms, mites, and cucumber beetles will all target your cucumber plant. You can make your own organic pesticide with neem oil:
- To make a spray with neem oil, mix of water with a few drops of dishwashing soap and about 10-20 drops of neem oil.[17]
- With pests like cucumber beetles, you can simply pick them off by hand using gloves covered in petroleum jelly. Drop them into a bucket of water with a few drops of dishwashing liquid.
- You can also use a bug vacuum designed for the purpose of sucking insects off plants.[18]
- Use an anti-mildew spray on fungal diseases. Mildew and bacterial wilt are especially common. Many anti-fungal products will rid your plants of mildew, but bacterial diseases are more difficult to get rid of. In fact, if your plants develop bacterial wilt, which can be carried by cucumber beetles, the plants will likely die. Fungal infections are often characterized by a white, powdery substance on the leaves.[19]
- Bacterial wilt starts with the leaves turning dull, wilting in the day, and recovering at night. Eventually, the leaves will turn yellow and die.
- To make an anti-mildew spray, try mixing 1 tablespoon (14 grams) of baking soda into of water. Add a dash of dishwashing liquid, and shake it up. Spray it on the plant once a week if you notice a white, powdery mildew on the leaves.[20]
- Harvest your cucumbers about 55 days after planting. Bigger cucumbers are more bitter, so harvest cucumbers when they're young. Snip the stem about 1/2-inch (1.27 centimeters) above the cucumber. If the cucumber has reached the yellowing stage, it's probably too mature to eat.[21]
- Most cucumbers are ready to harvest 55 to 70 days after planting.
- If you want to start your cucumbers earlier in the season, start them in an organic plantable pot indoors first, and then move them outside once it gets warmer.
- Cucumbers require a lot of water, so keep them moist throughout the growing season.[22]
- Be mindful of any pesticides you spray your cucumbers with. Many chemical pesticides can be harmful if consumed, and ideally, you or someone else will consume the cucumbers from your plant. Always check label warnings before applying a chemical to your plant. Wash your crops before consuming them to rid them of chemical traces, dirt, and bacteria.
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